Words of advice from an editor-in-chief
After 16 years abroad Tomasz Wróblewski returned to Poland in 1997, and four years later launched Newsweek Polska. Recently he launched Forbes' Polish edition. He is now the editorial director of the two magazines, both of which are published by German media giant Axel Springer.
Matthew Tebeau: You have recently launched Forbes ...
Tomasz Wróblewski: We have launched Forbes from Profit (a locally launched business magazine owned by Axel Springer), because the market has changed. Polish businessmen need more inspiration and ideas, they want to read deeper, so they are fishing for new concepts and precedents. Forbes-Profit hasn't changed that much, but we have added more essays and depth.
What has changed?
Well, we have started to have a middle rank of businessmen. They have enough money to not think about surviving until tomorrow. They want additional distance so they start reading; they want more serious material.
The print-media industry is evolving substantially and is becoming ever more sophisticated and competitive. In a broad sense there is increasing specialization and competence in all different kinds of journalism. Investigative journalism, for instance, has developed over the past years. Also, in business journalism the journalists understand much more now than some years ago.
Was this a challenge when you launched Newsweek?
Media is one of the industries that was the most undeveloped in Poland. When it comes to news, it is a difficult and delicate subject. Foreign publishers did not dare get involved directly, if they were investors they were standing in the background. Journalism also wasn't developed, so the niche we saw was changing some journalism patterns and very clear editing as well.
Did you learn anything from your experience abroad that has helped you?
Yes. Mainly to be open. I learned there is always a space. If I hear that the competition is producing a weekly, people say don't worry. I do. Just because I don't see a space for them, maybe they do. In fact, I worry more because they may see something I don't. Being open for new experiences and innovations is important. But it is not just experience in the West but being an immigrant. You had to expect the unexpected.
What are the biggest challenges in the print-media industry for the future?
There is tremendous competition with so many big international publishers. You have to defend yourself against the competition. Also, there is quite a shortage of management skills. Management of journalists and magazines are different things.
What specific management skills are in shortest supply?
Experience in both the editorial part and in the business part. You know, there is no single journalism/publishing school in Poland. At the same time we have had to learn everything on our own, from research through to finance systems (for instance, the ability to calculate costs, organize a newsroom, estimate the editorial side).
We are lucky that Forbes, being part of Axel Springer, is able to teach people but then our competitors have learned this.
What are the most important trends you see in the business environment in Poland?
Aside from the competition from traditional industry, there are new technologies, such as the internet, and of course we cannot separate our industry from the macroeconomic situation.
If we do not create a good system that is helpful to creating new businesses and getting those thousands who have migrated to the West, we won't see much change.
We are also losing our readers. They are the educated ones getting jobs abroad.
Our best selling issue is the supplement on how to study abroad. At the same time, we know from reader feedback that for every 10 copies we sell, we will lose one reader.
Is this brain drain a danger?
I don't see it as a danger; the danger is if the system will not change here. There are so many Poles from abroad though that I hear from, who say there is no place for them here, they are either overqualified-especially in the technology sector-or they cannot find anything comparable to sustain their standard of life here.
Matthew Tebeau: You have recently launched Forbes ...
Tomasz Wróblewski: We have launched Forbes from Profit (a locally launched business magazine owned by Axel Springer), because the market has changed. Polish businessmen need more inspiration and ideas, they want to read deeper, so they are fishing for new concepts and precedents. Forbes-Profit hasn't changed that much, but we have added more essays and depth.
What has changed?
Well, we have started to have a middle rank of businessmen. They have enough money to not think about surviving until tomorrow. They want additional distance so they start reading; they want more serious material.
The print-media industry is evolving substantially and is becoming ever more sophisticated and competitive. In a broad sense there is increasing specialization and competence in all different kinds of journalism. Investigative journalism, for instance, has developed over the past years. Also, in business journalism the journalists understand much more now than some years ago.
Was this a challenge when you launched Newsweek?
Media is one of the industries that was the most undeveloped in Poland. When it comes to news, it is a difficult and delicate subject. Foreign publishers did not dare get involved directly, if they were investors they were standing in the background. Journalism also wasn't developed, so the niche we saw was changing some journalism patterns and very clear editing as well.
Did you learn anything from your experience abroad that has helped you?
Yes. Mainly to be open. I learned there is always a space. If I hear that the competition is producing a weekly, people say don't worry. I do. Just because I don't see a space for them, maybe they do. In fact, I worry more because they may see something I don't. Being open for new experiences and innovations is important. But it is not just experience in the West but being an immigrant. You had to expect the unexpected.
What are the biggest challenges in the print-media industry for the future?
There is tremendous competition with so many big international publishers. You have to defend yourself against the competition. Also, there is quite a shortage of management skills. Management of journalists and magazines are different things.
What specific management skills are in shortest supply?
Experience in both the editorial part and in the business part. You know, there is no single journalism/publishing school in Poland. At the same time we have had to learn everything on our own, from research through to finance systems (for instance, the ability to calculate costs, organize a newsroom, estimate the editorial side).
We are lucky that Forbes, being part of Axel Springer, is able to teach people but then our competitors have learned this.
What are the most important trends you see in the business environment in Poland?
Aside from the competition from traditional industry, there are new technologies, such as the internet, and of course we cannot separate our industry from the macroeconomic situation.
If we do not create a good system that is helpful to creating new businesses and getting those thousands who have migrated to the West, we won't see much change.
We are also losing our readers. They are the educated ones getting jobs abroad.
Our best selling issue is the supplement on how to study abroad. At the same time, we know from reader feedback that for every 10 copies we sell, we will lose one reader.
Is this brain drain a danger?
I don't see it as a danger; the danger is if the system will not change here. There are so many Poles from abroad though that I hear from, who say there is no place for them here, they are either overqualified-especially in the technology sector-or they cannot find anything comparable to sustain their standard of life here.
